​In the first article of this series on Dairy, I discussed RAW, FULL-FAT dairy, which is a whole, unprocessed food and how it can have many health benefits. Unfortunately, the large majority of dairy products we find on store shelves today are not raw. They are refined foods, stripped of many nutrients due to pasteurization, and possess anti-nutritive qualities than can harm your health. Let's discuss further...

​What exactly is pasteurized dairy?

Pasteurization is began in the 1880's. It is a method of heating milk in order to kill harmful bacteria. According to the Weston A. Price Foundation website, (which is a wonderful health resource), pasteurization was originally used to "clean-up" the milk production at filthy urban dairies. As a result, is was incorrectly concluded that raw milk was "dirty". The dairy industry and most national brands are now switching to ULTRA-pasteurization, which uses even higher temperatures for longer periods of time. This gives the milk a shelf life of up to four weeks and can actually be kept un-refrigerated until opened!

Unfortunately, pasteurization also kills the friendly, probiotic bacteria found in raw milk. Without the friendly bacteria to inhibit harmful microorganisms, pasteurized milk is actually more susceptible to contamination.

Pasteurization greatly degrades the nutrients found in raw milk:Pasteurized milk has up to a 66 % loss of vitamins A, D and E. Vitamin C loss is usually over 50 %. The heat affects the water soluble vitamins and makes them 38 to 80 % less effective. Vitamins B6 and B12 are completely destroyed during pasteurization.

Pasteurization destroys beneficial enzymes, antibodies, and hormones. Pasteurization destroys lipase (an enzyme that breaks down fat), which inhibits the ability to absorb fat soluble vitamins A and D. That is why the dairy industry fortifies milk with artificial vitamin D. It also kills the lactase enzyme naturally found in raw milk (which is needed to break down the sugar lactose, and why some people can better tolerate raw dairy).

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Pasteurization makes calcium and other minerals less available. Complete destruction of phosphatase is one method of testing to see if milk has been adequately pasteurized. Phosphatase is essential for the absorption of calcium. Milk is also an acid forming food, and in an overly acidic environment, the body attempts to restore a neutral pH balance. It does this by pulling from the alkaline “reserves” of calcium, magnesium, and potassium that are stored in bones. Therefore, milk products can weaken bones, not strengthen them. In fact, research has shown that countries with the highest rate of dairy consumption also have the highest rate of osteoporosis. Some non-dairy sources of calcium include: almonds, kale, oranges, collard greens, broccoli, figs, spinach, sesame seeds, and enriched milks including rice, almond, help, and coconut milks.

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​What is homogenization?

According to the Weston A. Price Foundation website, "Milk straight from the cow contains cream, which rises to the top. Homogenization is a process that breaks up the fat globules and evenly distributes them throughout the milk so that they do not rise. This process unnaturally increases the surface area of fat exposing it to air, in which oxidation occurs and increases the susceptibility to spoilage. Homogenization has been linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis."​

What about the cows?

Living Conditions & Feed: Most commercial cows aren't out grazing in a field of grass. They are penned-up, confined in small spaces, and hooked up to milking machines. Cows living like this average a 42 month lifespan versus a cow on pasture who lives 12-15 years (source). Plus, imagine the waste from these milk factories in contrast to cows living on the land! The bulk of the food these confined cows eat is grains of corn and soy, which is likely genetically modified and sprayed with herbicides and pesticides. This feed is not natural to the animal and not good for proper nourishment. Note: Organic dairy can also be pasteurized and may still come from cows that were fed grains.

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Hormones & Antibiotics: In 1930, the average cow produced 6 pounds of milk per day. Now, the average is up to 50 pounds! How? American dairy farmers often inject cows with a genetically engineered bovine growth hormone called rBGH to increase milk production. This often leads to an udder infection in cows called mastitis, which is then treated with rounds of antibiotics. FDA documents show that cows injected with rBGH are 79% more likely to develop mastitis. There is an extreme over-use of antibiotics in the US. Both the hormones and antibiotics given to the cows can make their way into your dairy products. Up to 80 types of antibiotics have been found in milk products. (Source)

Insulin Spikes: Milk has some normal sugar/carbohydrate in it. Full-fat dairy causes a very low rise in insulin due to the fat content. However, low-fat and skim milk may cause a spike in blood sugar due to the disproportionate content of sugar and protein contained in it. Spikes in insulin can lead to many chronic health issues due to inflammation, including diabetes. Read my article about Inflammation: The Spark that Ignites Disease.

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